REL T/7x

$1099

A special round of applause is due this mini-sub for music lovers. The T/7x is even faster and tighter than its forbear, yet remains tonally supple, with well-defined timbres. It’s also remarkably potent for a single, forward-firing 8″ driver augmented by a quick-reacting, downward-firing 10″ passive radiator (and a smooth 200W Class AB amp). The sumptuous high-gloss lacquered enclosure with aluminum accents has inputs for high-level Neutrik Speakon (cable included), plus low-level RCA and LFE. A little classic. NG, 265

GoldenEar SuperSub X

$1750

Almost impossibly small but packing dual active drivers and twin passive radiators plus 1500W of Class D DSP-controlled power, the little X captures the realism of the concert hall, imparting a well-anchored foundation that extends into the low-30Hz range (even touching the upper 20s). Bass is full-bodied and controlled and exhibits the requisite bloom and resonant sustain expected of a subwoofer in the bottom octaves. It will mate superbly with a wide range of compacts and smaller floorstanders and fit into almost any room. Home cinema anyone? You betcha. A subwoofer of estimable shock and slam and musical subtlety that’s also a bargain, to boot. NG, 286

JL Audio e110/e112

$1900–$2100/$2500–$2700 depending on finish

Before he got the hefty, little e110 with 10″ driver (the e112 comes with a 12″ woof), JV was anything but a fan of subwoofers, which always seemed to take more away in midrange transparency, tone color, and resolution than they paid back in bass-range extension, detail, and power. Crossed over at the right frequency—which is easy to do with the instructions that JL Audio provides and the unit’s manifold built-in controls—the e110 is the very first sub he’s heard that doesn’t screw up the sound of the main speaker. Rather it seems to extend that sound into the bottom octaves, producing the highest low-level resolution of bass timbres and textures from any transducer of his experience. JV, 244; RH, 252

GoldenEar SuperSub XXL

$2750

Sandy Gross, the founder of GoldenEar, has crammed an astounding amount of technology into this fairly diminutive subwoofer, including a 1600W switching amplifier that is controlled by a 56-bit DSP device operating at 192kHz. Add two 12″ long-throw active drivers and two infrasonic drivers and you have a recipe for a powerful, bone-crushing sub. No matter the source material—rock, pop, or classical—the XXL will deliver a deep and tuneful foundation that helps create an airier and wider soundstage. There are faster and more powerful subwoofers out there (at three to four times the cost) but the XXL will never produce less than satisfying performance in almost any audio system. JHb, 264

JL Audio Dominion d108/d110

$1100-$1200/$1300-$1400 depending on finish

The E Series subs used to be the least expensive offering from JL Audio. Both Robert Harley and Jonathan Valin reviewed them and were impressed with their high level of performance and moderate price. Though less costly, the Dominion Series shares much of the design technology and all the philosophy of JL’s more upscale models. What differentiates the Dominions from the slightly more expensive E’s? First the E Series subs have more sophisticated electronics. Second, the Dominion drivers don’t use the dual-spider technique of the E subs, and their baskets are not as deep. These differences aside, the sound is very much the same, which is to say outstanding. SS/RH, 313

GoldenEar SuperSub X

$1750

Almost impossibly small but packing dual active drivers and twin passive radiators plus 1500W of Class D DSP-controlled power, the little X captures the realism of the concert hall, imparting a well-anchored foundation that extends into the low-30Hz range (even touching the upper 20s). Bass is full-bodied and controlled and exhibits the requisite bloom and resonant sustain expected of a subwoofer in the bottom octaves. It will mate superbly with a wide range of compacts and smaller floorstanders and fit into almost any room. Home cinema anyone? You betcha. A subwoofer of estimable shock and slam and musical subtlety that’s also a bargain, to boot. NG, 286

JL Audio e110/e112

$1900–$2100/$2500–$2700 depending on finish

Before he got the hefty, little e110 with 10″ driver (the e112 comes with a 12″ woof), JV was anything but a fan of subwoofers, which always seemed to take more away in midrange transparency, tone color, and resolution than they paid back in bass-range extension, detail, and power. Crossed over at the right frequency—which is easy to do with the instructions that JL Audio provides and the unit’s manifold built-in controls—the e110 is the very first sub he’s heard that doesn’t screw up the sound of the main speaker. Rather it seems to extend that sound into the bottom octaves, producing the highest low-level resolution of bass timbres and textures from any transducer of his experience. JV, 244; RH, 252

GoldenEar SuperSub XXL

$2750

Sandy Gross, the founder of GoldenEar, has crammed an astounding amount of technology into this fairly diminutive subwoofer, including a 1600W switching amplifier that is controlled by a 56-bit DSP device operating at 192kHz. Add two 12″ long-throw active drivers and two infrasonic drivers and you have a recipe for a powerful, bone-crushing sub. No matter the source material—rock, pop, or classical—the XXL will deliver a deep and tuneful foundation that helps create an airier and wider soundstage. There are faster and more powerful subwoofers out there (at three to four times the cost) but the XXL will never produce less than satisfying performance in almost any audio system. JHb, 264

REL Acoustics S/812

$3299

The heir to the extraordinary S/5, REL’s latest is not just a step forward, but rather a sonic leap into a different class. The bar has been raised on every feature that made its forbear an affordable reference. Yes, it retains the forward-firing 12″ woofer and companion 12″ downward-firing passive but adds carbon fiber backing for strength and accuracy. There are new sets of custom filters, while the power of its NextGen5 Class D amplifier has been bumped up to 800 watts. Thus, it plays deeper and faster with greater transparency, and reproduces spatiality and the dimensional outlines of a soundstage with a precision normally reserved for the headiest of flagship efforts. NG, 308

M&K Sound X10

$3499

From the folks who cut their teeth designing some of the first top-notch sub/sat systems comes the X10—a 350W, 62-pound box of serious intent. It sports dual, push/pull, long-stroke, 10″ drivers (with a total surface area equivalent to a single 15″ driver) in a sealed (acoustic-suspension) enclosure. As a THX-certified subwoofer, cinema-level output, room-rattling extension, explosive dynamics, and power handling were never a question. Paired with M&K’s S150 compact monitor, the X10 casts a seamless, dimensional soundfield as good as NG has attained in his listening room. This formidable combination was never at a loss for thrilling musicality. NG, 326

MartinLogan BalancedForce 210

$3499

Before he discovered the 210s, reviewer SHo tended to eschew much of the bass-centric jazz and classical music that he really enjoys because of the inability to achieve realistic SPLs. Once he put the 210s in his listening room, his music—and not just music where bass was prominent—took on a whole new life. The 210s made a far larger difference in his system than any other component in a very long time—and that’s saying a lot. If you have a large room or really like low bass, the Balanced Force 210s are essential tools to getting the most out of your music. Spencer Holbert, 252

JL Audio CR-1 Crossover

$3500

Designed to augment (rather than replace) the manifold controls already built into JL’s subwoofers, this all-analog crossover allows you to fine-tune the transition between your subs and your mains with a precision, subtlety, and effectiveness that JV has never before experienced. The result is a truly seamless blend that, as far as JV can see, can be achieved in no other way. A little masterpiece of truly useful audio engineering—and a must-try if you already own one of JL Audio’s larger subwoofers, such as the Fathom or the fabulous Gotham, but will work with any subwoofer. JV, 254; RH, 283

AudioKinesis Swarm

$4000 (four subwoofers, one amplifier)

This system is based on the idea that the smoothest, most uniform bass response in a listening room is obtained by using multiple subwoofers in various (usually asymmetric) positions. The Swarm includes at a very reasonable price four subwoofer units and a 1000-watt amplifier. The subs are driven in series/parallel configuration so that the amplifier “sees” the impedance of a single speaker. This idea, says REG, is the answer to bass in rooms. The Swarm, with the subs suitably placed, produces bass down to the bottom and smoothly from there on up to where the main speakers take over, and not just at one position but over the whole room. The uniformity of response gives you a compelling impression of being immersed in the bass soundfield of the original venue in a way no single subwoofer can accomplish. REG, 252

Wilson Audio ActivXO

$4900

The ActivXO subwoofer crossover is an updated version of Wilson’s long-standing WATCH Controller. The all-analog ActivXO is a dual-channel unit, meaning that it can control two subwoofers with independent fine-tuning of each. These adjustments include the crossover frequency and slope, as well as continually variable phase for each sub. Balanced and unbalanced inputs and outputs are provided. The ActivXO can be operated as a high-pass filter and a low-pass filter in those systems where high-pass filtering the main speakers is desired. Alternately, the unit can low-pass filter the signal driving the subwoofer amplifier while leaving the signal driving the main speakers unfiltered. RH, 308

GoldenEar SuperSub X

$1499

Almost impossibly small but packing dual active drivers and twin passive radiators plus 1500W of Class D DSP-controlled power, the little X captures the realism of the concert hall, imparting a well-anchored foundation that extends into the low-30Hz range (even touching the upper 20s). Bass is full-bodied and controlled and exhibits the requisite bloom and resonant sustain expected of a subwoofer in the bottom octaves. It will mate superbly with a wide range of compacts and smaller floorstanders and fit into almost any room. Home cinema anyone? You betcha. A subwoofer of estimable shock and slam and musical subtlety that’s also a bargain, to boot. 

JL Audio e110/e112

$1900–$2100/$2500–$2700 (depending on finish)

Before he got the hefty, little e110 with 10″ driver (the e112 comes with a 12″ woof), JV was anything but a fan of subwoofers, which always seemed to take more away in midrange transparency, tone color, and resolution than they paid back in bass-range extension, detail, and power. Crossed over at the right frequency—which is easy to do with the instructions that JL Audio provides and the unit’s manifold built-in controls—the e110 is the very first sub he’s heard that doesn’t screw up the sound of the main speaker. Rather it seems to extend that sound into the bottom octaves, producing the highest low-level resolution of bass timbres and textures from any transducer of his experience.

GoldenEar SuperSub XXL

$2499

Sandy Gross, the founder of GoldenEar, has crammed an astounding amount of technology into this fairly diminutive subwoofer, including a 1600W switching amplifier that is controlled by a 56-bit DSP device operating at 192kHz. Add two 12″ long-throw active drivers and two infrasonic drivers and you have a recipe for a powerful, bone-crushing sub. No matter the source material—rock, pop, or classical—the XXL will deliver a deep and tuneful foundation that helps create an airier and wider soundstage. There are faster and more powerful subwoofers out there (at three to four times the cost) but the XXL will never produce less than satisfying performance in almost any audio system. 

AudioKinesis Swarm

$3200 (four subwoofers, one amplifier)

This system is based on the idea that the smoothest, most uniform bass response in a listening room is obtained by using multiple subwoofers in various (usually asymmetric) positions. The Swarm includes at a very reasonable price four subwoofer units and a 1000-watt amplifier. The subs are driven in series/parallel configuration so that the amplifier “sees” the impedance of a single speaker. This idea, says REG, is the answer to bass in rooms. The Swarm, with the subs suitably placed, produces bass down to the bottom and smoothly from there on up to where the main speakers take over, and not just at one position but over the whole room. The uniformity of response gives you a compelling impression of being immersed in the bass soundfield of the original venue in a way no single subwoofer can accomplish. 

REL Acoustics S/812

$3299

The heir to the extraordinary S/5, REL’s latest is not just a step forward, but rather a sonic leap into a different class. The bar has been raised on every feature that made its forbear an affordable reference. Yes, it retains the forward-firing 12″ woofer and companion 12″ downward-firing passive but adds carbon fiber backing for strength and accuracy. There are new sets of custom filters, while the power of its NextGen5 Class D amplifier has been bumped up to 800 watts. Thus, it plays deeper and faster with greater transparency, and reproduces spatiality and the dimensional outlines of a soundstage with a precision normally reserved for the headiest of flagship efforts. 

MartinLogan BalancedForce 210

$3499

Before he discovered the 210s, reviewer SHo tended to eschew much of the bass-centric jazz and classical music that he really enjoys because of the inability to achieve realistic SPLs. Once he put the 210s in his listening room, his music—and not just music where bass was prominent—took on a whole new life. The 210s made a far larger difference in his system than any other component in a very long time—and that’s saying a lot. If you have a large room or really like low bass, the Balanced Force 210s are essential tools to getting the most out of your music.

JL Audio CR-1 Crossover

$3500

Designed to augment (rather than replace) the manifold controls already built into JL’s subwoofers, this all-analog crossover allows you to fine-tune the transition between your subs and your mains with a precision, subtlety, and effectiveness that JV has never before experienced. The result is a truly seamless blend that, as far as JV can see, can be achieved in no other way. A little masterpiece of truly useful audio engineering—and a must-try if you already own one of JL Audio’s larger subwoofers, such as the Fathom or the fabulous Gotham, but will work with any subwoofer. 

Wilson Audio ActivXO

$4700

The ActivXO subwoofer crossover is an updated version of Wilson’s long-standing WATCH Controller. The all-analog ActivXO is a dual-channel unit, meaning that it can control two subwoofers with independent fine-tuning of each. These adjustments include the crossover frequency and slope, as well as continually variable phase for each sub. Balanced and unbalanced inputs and outputs are provided. The ActivXO can be operated as a high-pass filter and a low-pass filter in those systems where high-pass filtering the main speakers is desired. Alternately, the unit can low-pass filter the signal driving the subwoofer amplifier while leaving the signal driving the main speakers unfiltered. 

REL Acoustics 212SX

$4999

The REL 212SX was designed to offer clean prodigious deep bass output at a reasonable price. In a beautifully finished piano-black cabinet, each 212SX houses two front-facing 12″ drivers made of continuous cast alloy and capable of 2″ linear excursion. The bass drivers are driven by an onboard Class D amplifier rated at 1000 watts. Each cabinet also contains a back-facing 12″ passive radiator and a downward-firing 12″ passive radiator, both made of the same alloy material. In use, the name of the game for this subwoofer is speed, speed, speed, with negligible distortion. Because of that speed, reviewer Don Saltzman found it was much easier to mate the 212SE with full-range loudspeakers. 

JL Audio Fathom f112/f113v2 

$5000/$6000

These two subs—identical except for woofer size (12″ vs. 13.5″) and amplifier power (1800W vs. 3000W)—raise the bar in subwoofer performance with their unlikely combination of brute-force power and tonal and dynamic finesse. Capable of delivering high SPLs at very low frequencies without strain, the Fathoms are adept at resolving the pitches, dynamics, and timbre of an acoustic bass. Reference-quality performance at a reasonable price, and dreadnought build quality to boot. New Mk.II versions offer even higher performance with greater amplifier power, revised drivers, and a much more effective room correction system, now performed in the digital domain. 

REL Acoustics Gibraltar G1 Mk II

$5500

The powered G1 Mk II draws so little attention to itself that it may be the ideal subwoofer for those who heretofore have shunned subs. Sporting a 12″, long-throw, carbon-fiber driver driven by a 600W amplifier, it offers substantial gains in low-end extension and impact, even when mated with full-range loudspeakers, and improves soundstaging performance by replicating more of the hall. 

JL Audio Fathom IWSv2-SYS-213 In-Wall

$6050–$9650 

Forget everything you think you know about in-wall speakers; JL’s in-wall subwoofer shatters the negative stereotypes. The subwoofer specialists mount an ultra-thin version of their 13.5″ TW5 platform in an innovative suspended enclosure that decouples it from the wall. The system is powered by a 1000W outboard amplifier (2000W in the dual-woofer version) with an extensive array of adjustments including JL’s excellent DARO room correction. The sound is classic JL Audio—a combination of an extremely powerful, dynamic, extended, iron-fisted bottom end on one hand, and a remarkable resolution of dynamics, pitch, and texture on the other. 

Paradigm Ref Sig Series Sub 2

$10,500

The Paradigm Sub 2 may be one of the few subwoofers that can be properly mated with planar loudspeakers. Its lightning speed and ability to project front, rear, and sideways mean that its presence and positioning are simply impossible to detect. The Sub 2 features what Paradigm calls Vibration-Canceling Design Architecture, and the design clearly delivers the goods. The hexagonal cabinet can make it hard to install, but once in place the Sub 2 can deliver a crushing 112dB at 10Hz. 

JL Audio Gotham g213 v2

$20,000

This subwoofer really leaves former subwoofer-hater JV at a loss for words. It is so good at what it does—which is deliver power, clarity, color, texture, and sheer oomph in the bottom octaves—that he’s never heard anything that can beat it in the bass, either in a subwoofer or a full-range floorstander. Using its own controls and/or the CR-1 outboard crossover, the Gotham can also be made to disappear more seamlessly than any other sub, which is truly amazing considering its sheer size (two 13.5″ woofers per side in huge rounded-off boxes) and 350-pound bulk. Thanks in part to its sealed-box loading, the Gotham has zero overhang, thickness, and bloat. Note that JL recommends deploying the Gotham in stereo pairs. 

Wilson Audio Subsonic

$38,000

Most subwoofers today pack a large driver into a small enclosure, and then massively equalize the drive signal to compensate for the lack of cabinet volume. The Wilson Subsonic is not one of these. Rather, the Subsonic’s enclosure is as big as it needs to be for the woofers to operate correctly without resorting to equalization. About as tall and half as wide as a refrigerator, and weighing 610 pounds, the Subsonic requires a serious commitment of space. The three 12″ long-excursion woofers in the ported enclosure deliver bass response that is flat to an astonishing 10Hz (–2dB). Make no mistake; the Subsonic will reproduce music’s lower octave with majestic power and grace. By reproducing low-frequency spatial cues, the Subsonic greatly expands the soundstage, resulting in a markedly higher level of realism. Requires an outboard crossover, such as Wilson’s ActivXO, along with a power amplifier.

Townshend Trough

$3000 

Decades ago, Townshend Audio introduced a vinyl playback system (the Rock Reference, Issue 70), which, with design input  from Jack Dinsdale and John Bugge at Cranfield Institute of Technology, included a way to damp the tonearm at the cartridge end via a trough of damping fluid that swung out over the record being played. This was one of those ideas that was so clearly good that one wonders how other people missed it. One wonders even more how, with the idea revealed, they kept on missing it. This is just the right way to do it for vinyl playback. The trough can be used with ’arms in general on other turntables—in effect, anywhere. Combine the trough with a Morch DP8 (with its uniquely correct moment of inertia behavior) and/or with one of the remarkable Pear Audio turntables or, say, with the Nakamichi TX1000 to solve the off-center problem, and one is well on one’s way to realizing at last the true possibilities of vinyl playback. Why the trough has not become universal is, indeed, an ongoing mystery, because this thing works.

Vandersteen Audio Sub Three Subwoofer
$2490
For more than a decade and a half, I’ve owned a pair of Vandersteen 2Wq subwoofers to enhance bottom-octave bass support in my approximately 43′ x 18′ x 8′ listening space. These subwoofers have integrated successfully with stand-mount two-way speakers in addition to large panel speakers, as well as many varieties of full-range cone speakers. Vandersteen Audio has improved on the performance of the 2Wq with its current replacement: the Sub Three. Featuring an analog-based 11-band equalizer, triple die-cast 8-inch drivers, a sealed enclosure, adjustable “Q” control, speaker sensitivity level-matching control, a 325W amplifier, and a switching, power-factor-corrected, regulated power supply, the Sub Three operates using a unique inverse-crossover arrangement that requires a first-order crossover between the preamplifier and amplifier to gently, and predictably, roll-off the low frequency before it gets to that amplifier. This approach frees the amplifier and speakers to perform upper bass, midrange, and treble duties without having to cope with the current-demanding mid-to-lowest bass the amplifier would normally have to supply to the speaker. Attached to the output of the amplifier, the Sub Three internally applies an inverse-crossover and restores the bass via its built-in subwoofer amplifier, while taking on whatever characteristic the main amplifier imparts on the speakers and subjectively creating a better blend with the speakers being used. The resulting sound, when fully integrated, is cohesive, powerful, and natural.